When we talk about the universe, planets, and stars, we always talk about astronomy. However, many people don't really know what astronomy is , what it studies, and what its focus is. Furthermore, many people confuse astronomy with astrology, and there are significant differences between the two.
Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you what astronomy is, its characteristics and what it studies.
what is astronomy
Astronomy is known as the science dedicated to the study of the celestial bodies of the universe: stars, planets, moons, comets, meteorites, galaxies and all interstellar matter, and their interactions and movements.
It is an ancient science, as the heavens and their mysteries were among the first questions humankind pondered, often providing mythological or religious answers. It is also one of the few sciences that still allows enthusiasts to participate.
Furthermore, astronomy not only exists as a science in its own right, but also complements other fields of knowledge and disciplines, such as navigation—especially in the absence of maps and compasses—and more recently, physics, through its understanding of fundamental laws. Understanding the universe and observing its behavior has proven to be of enormous and unparalleled value.
Thanks to astronomy, humanity has achieved some of the greatest scientific and technological milestones of modern times, such as interstellar travel, the positioning of Earth within the Milky Way, and detailed observations of the atmospheres and surfaces of planetary systems, including those many light-years away. To learn more about the discoveries that have impacted astronomy, you can read about the asteroid Kepler , one of the most remarkable finds. You can also explore the challenge of white holes in modern astronomy.
History
Astronomy is one of humanity's oldest sciences, as stars and celestial bodies have captured our attention and curiosity since antiquity. Great scholars of this subject include ancient philosophers such as Aristotle, Thales of Miletus, Anaxagoras, Aristarchus of Samos, and Hippacus of Nicaea; scientists such as Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Edmund Halley; and contemporary experts like Stephen Hawking.
The ancients studied the sky, the moon, and the sun in such detail that the ancient Greeks already knew the earth was round, but they believed the stars revolved around the earth, not the other way around. This continued until the end of the Middle Ages in Europe, when the Scientific Revolution challenged the universal principles upon which many religions were based.
Later, in the 20th century, the new advanced technologies available to humanity led to a greater understanding of light, which led to a greater understanding of telescopic observation techniques, which led to a new understanding of the universe and its constituent elements. Research into light represents one of the great current challenges of modern astronomy.
branches of astronomy
Astrophysics uses mathematical formulas to explain the properties and phenomena of celestial bodies.
Astronomy includes the following branches or subfields:
- Astrophysics. The application of physics to astronomy, explaining celestial properties and phenomena, formulating laws, measuring sizes and mathematically expressing results through formulas.
- astrogeology. Known as extraterrestrial geology or planetary geology, it is about applying the knowledge acquired in excavations and terrestrial observations on Earth to other celestial bodies whose composition can be known at a distance, including the Moon and Mars, by sending probes to collect samples. of rocks.
- Astronautics. With so many observations of the stars, man began to dream of visiting them. Astronautics is precisely the branch of science that seeks to make this dream possible.
- Celestial mechanics. The result of a collaboration between classical or Newtonian mechanics and astronomy, the discipline focuses on the movement of celestial bodies due to the gravitational effects exerted on them by other more massive bodies.
- planetology. Also known as planetary science, it focuses on accumulating knowledge about the known and unknown planets, those that make up our solar system and those farthest away. This ranges from meteorite-sized objects to massive gas giant planets.
- X-ray astronomy. Along with other branches of astronomy that specialize in the study of types of radiation or light (electromagnetic radiation), this branch constitutes specialized methods for measuring X-rays from outer space and the conclusions that can be drawn from them about the universe.
- Astrometry. It is the branch in charge of measuring astronomical position and movement, that is, mapping the observable universe in some way. It is perhaps the oldest of all branches.
What is it for
The main objective of any scientific investigation is to expand knowledge. However, this knowledge can also have practical applications. The first astronomical discoveries made it possible to calculate the passage of time, the changes of seasons and tides, and the position in space, because knowledge of the stars allows us to use them as celestial maps indicating the positions of the cardinal points.
Currently, astronomy requires technological advancements in optics and electronics that can be applied to other branches of science, such as medicine and biology. Understanding the behavior of stars expands our knowledge of physics and allows us to consider, for example, Kepler's laws. This knowledge enables us to put satellites into orbit whose communications depend on the entire Earth. Furthermore, there are astronomy books that delve deeper into these topics.
Astrology and astronomy
Astrology is considered a doctrine of interpretation without scientific basis. The difference between the two disciplines is fundamental. When we talk about astronomy, we mean a science that is logically measured and verified using the scientific method, can be refuted, and is based on analyzable experiments and theories, supported by mathematics.
Astrology, on the other hand, is a "science of mystery" or pseudoscience ; that is, a theory for interpreting reality without any scientific basis. It doesn't rely on verifiable factual knowledge from other fields, but rather on its own theory to maintain its own exclusive rules. If astronomy is the scientific understanding of the universe, astrology is the explanation of terrestrial phenomena through arbitrary patterns drawn between the stars. To delve deeper into these differences, you can visit the article on astronomy and astrology.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about what astronomy is and what it studies.